The timescale of geology is bonkers. For instance, the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland is the result of lava flows that occurred some 60 million years ago. Along the rocky shoreline, tens of thousands of hexagonal basalt columns emerge from the ground and gradually sink into the sea. Now thanks to the folks at Henegan Peng Architects, thousands of stone mullions are rising and sinking into a grassy plain adjacent to this natural wonder. It’s the Giant’s Causeway Visitor’s Centre.

The building’s exterior treatment is mesmerizing. This is by design mostly, but also in part thanks to the excellent photos taken by Hufton + Crow. The building rises from the ground in a graceful slice, and the photographers have beautifully captured the exterior columns which were inspired by their basalt buddies on the nearby shore. This project was recently selected as a 2013 RIBA award winner. Hopefully the architects will remember thank 60 million year old lava if asked to give a speech.